Crossed Lines
by Fyyrrose
Summary: Life doesn't get any easier when demons from her past become part of her present and she freaks knowing her surrogate son was sold into slavery. Meanwhile Kagome struggles to keep her past hidden from her father.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Crossed Lines

**Rating**: Mature. There will be graphic scenes and talk of sex, drugs, alcohol and everything else that's rated M.

**Summary**: AU Life doesn't get any easier when demons from her past become part of her present and she freaks knowing her surrogate son was sold into slavery. Meanwhile Kagome struggles to keep her past hidden from her father.

**Dedicated**: To all my fans, but ESPECIALLY to my beta for still loving me after all these years. 3

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha. Cause If I did, I wouldn't have let the ending suck like that. No offense. :)

**AN**: This is an AU fic, a mature read. There is language, sex, drinking and everything young people should not do until after college. I will not tell you the pairing(s) of this story because … well … sometimes my writing ventures on a different path.

The muses direct the flow, I'm simply their writer. Don't like it, don't read.

With that being said, enjoy the story. Relevant questions will be answered via mail and posted on my profile. ~ Fyyrrose

* * *

The crowd cheered.

Kagome, along with the rest of her graduating class, threw her convocation hat up into the air. The act was rebellious and scandalous; an act of Westernization, but that was the future of the world. And so with the future came its customs. Some parents huffed, others cheered, losing themselves, like their children, in the moment.

Slowly the chattering and giggling quieted and dulled as people left their circle. She hugged her friends for the millionth time, glad she could be with them on this day. It wasn't an easy road, especially with her adventures to the past. Despite everything thrown at her, she survived.

After making plans to meet up with trio, and well Hojo, she went to join her family that came out to witness her big day. Smiling brightly, her family circled around her effectively giving her no room to escape. Her mother gushed and kept hugging her at random moments. Her brother kept laughing at her inability to avoid their mom's kisses.

"Just wait until it's your turn." Kagome leaned over and whispered. "And for yours I'll even bring a video camera and upload it on peer-to-peer networks."

Her brother immediately stopped laughing and paled. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Last person that dared me was a demon and I purified his hide." Kagome snapped back. To the rest of her family she smiled, as if there had never been a threat, as if Kagome was the perfect student. Souta thought his sister was scary, but he realized it was a character flaw held by all females.

Kagome broke away and walked down the aisle where she had just sat previously, taking in some much needed peace. Her struggle hadn't been an easy one. She battled demons through middle school and partially into high school. She never thought she would have finished her second year of high school and trapeze through feudal Japan searching for Naraku and the jewel shards, but she did.

She was saddened a bit by not saying goodbye to her makeshift feudal era family, but she moved on with time. It all happened so fast. She knew it wasn't her fault, but she could have thought more about what would happen when the jewel was completed. She thought she would get to say goodbye, and travel home…and maybe occasionally visit. Just weekends and holidays…

It was unrealistic she knew. Part of her was aware that this was possibility. The jewel was complete and even before Inuyasha could take it away and wish on it, she was gone. It was a case of complete. Poof. Home. End of story.

The well was sealed, and she had a very powerful completed jewel that was coveted by demons and no one to help her protect it. She tried immediately to go back, to say goodbye. But she was sealed out. The magic she felt in and around the well was gone. After trying every day for a week, she gave up, determined to continue on her own path; happy for the skills and memories they made with her.

Kagome took a silent moment to think of what her friends would have said to her today. She hadn't thought of them in a very long time, but she gave herself over to the dull ache in her heart when she thought of them.

As five hundred years passed, Miroku and Sango were long dead. Shippo was possibly somewhere out there. And if Inuyasha's big mouth and temper were kept in check, then he might be alive. Who knows how long half demons lived? But if they were with her, she knew Miroku would give her a big hug and fondle her backside. Sango would clobber him and would cry alongside her. Shippo would have given her a picture he made or a leaf claiming it had magical properties. And Inuyasha would have told her she should have spent more time in the feudal era chasing shards, since it all lead to the same place.

The scene before her was vivid, and as much as it hurt to let go, she did. She would remember them with fond memories, but she was moving on with her life.

College was now a deciding factor in her life. She could be and do anything she wanted. She thought about taking a year off and helping out her mom and grandfather at the shrine. It was a possibility. It would also give her an extra year to figure out how to hide the jewel better and figure out why demons weren't coming after her.

If Shippo and Inuyasha were alive, then why didn't they come and find her? She shook her head and cleared her thoughts. Taking one last glance around at what was her entire life, she exhaled deeply and turned on the ball of her foot and went to join the rest of her family again. She hoped this time her mother wouldn't assault her with hugs in front of everyone. A girl could only take so much!

Her family seemed to have disregarded her completely for a stranger. They all seemed to be excited. Before she reached them, she felt a demonic presence and stopped. A little ways down there stood a blue haired demon. She watched him out of the corner of her eye. If he was friendly, then she would let him live. Plus, she had no weapons on her. Unlike Feudal Japan, she couldn't carry weapons freely. Times were less "dangerous".

He kept his eye on the stranger talking with her family. As she got closer, she made out the figure. He wasn't a large man but one that captured your presence and demanded you take notice of him. It was the hardened aura and spirit of a man who fought and won many hard battles. It couldn't have been!

Her steps hurried to the group. The closer she got the more her family parted. Their eyes locked and Kagome ran full force into his arms. She hugged him and cried. Her heart felt better, like a part of her returned.

"Daddy!" The childish cry caused her family to smile.

She didn't care he was late or missed the entire ceremony, she was just happy he was finally home after being away for so long. They broke away from each other, giving her father plenty of room to look her over. She couldn't stop the giant grin plastered on her face.

"Congratulations on graduating. I'm so very proud of you." He brought her forward, back into his arms, and kissed her bang covered forehead.

"Thanks Dad." She blushed. "Are you home for a while or are you leaving again?" She had hoped he could at least stay the night at the bare minimum.

"Well I'll be back for a few days hopefully. But there is one question I want to ask you later on when we're alone and away from prying eyes." He looked around as if scanning the area for hostiles. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru used to do that.

Kagome smiled fondly again. She leaned into him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Oh shit!" She cursed. If her dad was back, she wasn't about to miss her chance being with him. She hadn't seen him in over ten years. She raced over to Eri, the first of the trio she saw. She quickly explained why she had to cancel. Her friends would all understand. There would be other times, but reuniting with a parent before he took off again was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She hugged her friend and thanked her before returning to her own group.

They made their way back to the quiet living of the Sunset Shrine.

A few hours after the bustle of the busy morning and afternoon, the Higurashi family went about their daily lives and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Souta was playing his video games; Grandpa was in the far back of the shrine trying to remember where he placed Kagome's graduation gift; her mother was in the kitchen preparing their evening meal; which left father and daughter sitting at the top of the shrine steps looking out at the slowly setting sun.

"I think we need to have a talk. I don't want to scare you but there's something you need to know." Her father started off.

Kagome lifted her head and stared at the aging man sitting next to her. "I've survived grandpa's stories. I don't think anything can scare or bore me anymore." She told him lightly as he started to chuckle.

"Well," he started, "My father does have some merit. Demons do exist in today's society. And I'm not talking about some metaphysical demon that lives inside of us, but living and breathing demons." He watched his daughter carefully. He watched her reaction.

Kagome blinked at her father repeatedly. Didn't her Mom tell him about Feudal Japan? Didn't she make mention that Kagome had been basically living with demons? "Oh ... okay." That's all she could manage to say.

Her mind was spinning why was this important now? She didn't understand. "You seem to be taking this rather well." Her father told her as he continued to watch the expressions on her face.

Kagome shrugged. "If there's other life in the universe besides us, why can't there be demons?" She caught sight of blue hair and kept it in her mind's eye. She didn't want to alarm her father of its presence. She wasn't armed so they would both be sitting ducks.

"Kagome, I'm going to cut right to the chase." He sighed and centered himself before continuing. Kagome's interest was piqued. "I want to test you to see if you have any spiritual powers."

Kagome blinked and drew her eyebrows together in confusion. She had spiritual powers, her entire family knew that. Granted her dad had been away when they awoke, she assumed they kept him informed. "Sure, I guess so." She told him, confused even more by all this. "So what do I need to do?"

"We'll set you up with an experiment tomorrow and go from there."

"You're not gonna hook me up to machines and drain my blood or anything like that, are you?"

He laughed. He laughed hard and loud while shaking his head. "No nothing like that. Has your mother not told you anything about what I've been doing these last ten years?" His mirth dropped slightly, taking on a slightly sadder tone.

Kagome shook her head. Guess he wasn't the only one they were keeping secrets from. "She told me you were away on business."

"I guess that's kind of true. I want you to promise me that you're not going to freak out and call me crazy, okay?" He shifted so he was facing her.

Kagome cocked her head and shifted so she was facing him head on. "I promise that no matter how farfetched this sounds, I won't freak out and commit you to an insane asylum. " Smiling she held up her pinky finger, signaling the start of a pinky swear.

He smiled at her childishness and accepted the pinky with his own. "I'm a contracted demon slayer. I only kill the bad demons. You know like the kind in Grandpa's stories."

Kagome's eyes widened. "That's so cool!" She searched his face for some sort of lie. When she didn't see one, she started to get antsy sitting on the cement steps.

"I'm not kidding Kagome." His voice was stern. "There are demons out there that would kill you in a heartbeat given the chance."

Kagome scoffed in her mind. Gone there, done that and had the jewel to prove it. "I believe you." She wanted to hear all about his exploits and adventures as well as the kinds of demons he's killed. Some part of her hoped to hear about Inuyasha or Shippo, but the main part of her knew that if her dad talked about them meant they were dead.

She wanted to tell him about her feudal life and her own experiences with demons, but her mother called out to them to tell them supper was ready and being served.

They both got up and made their way towards the house.

"Kagome." He stopped her in her tracks. "Don't tell your brother. He doesn't need to worry about demons. I don't want to endanger him."

She thought for a moment, she thought of telling him everyone already knew demons were alive, but she nodded her head and kept her mouth shut. Her family had kept secrets from her, now it was her turn to keep one. If keeping this secret made her dad sleep at night knowing Souta was safe, then she would take it to the grave.

He walked inside the house while Kagome paused a moment to check on their unwelcomed guest. She didn't directly look at him, instead she made it seem like she was checking the sunset one last time before going inside.

Her life was about to get interesting. Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, she walked inside for a family sit down dinner ten years in the making.


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome was woken up in the morning by a giant bang. She bolted upright thinking she would be late for school and wondering why her math homework wasn't done. It took her a moment to realize that she didn't go to school and that her father was probably waiting for her downstairs.

She ran into the bathroom to get ready and probably made a new record in the process. Inuyasha would have been proud!

She raced downstairs wearing a lilac sundress with an off white shrug to cover her shoulders. Her mother was over the stove cooking breakfast as she normally did. "Good morning Mama." Sauntering over, she placed a kiss on her mother's cheek before grabbing an apple and eating it.

"Kagome, breakfast is going to be ready soon." She chastised her eldest daughter before turning back to the stove. Kagome smiled and pocketed a second piece of fruit when her mother's back was turned.

Taking the apple to the sacred God Tree, she sat below it and continued to eat. She wondered what tests her father would do on her today. She was genuinely excited at the prospect of spending a day with her father. Regardless, it would be a day that possibly exhausted her, but she didn't care.

She almost giggled when the sounds of soft snoring came from the branches above. He was either a very deep sleeper or he was extremely tired to not notice her presence. Kagome felt a sense of déjà vu. How many times had this happen with Inuyasha? Kagome smiled at the memory. Too many times to count. The excuses he would use would leave Kagome in a good mood all morning.

She long finished her apple but still sat underneath the tree listening to the demon above her sleep. It was a comforting feeling. She had no incline to move or to wake the sleeping demon. She watched as her mom came out the door and called to her that breakfast was ready. The demon above her almost jumped. "Coming Mama!" She raised her voice to call back to her. She no longer needed to be quiet. The blue haired demon was awake and possibly glaring at her. Inuyasha was no different.

She couldn't be sure of the hardened stare; she didn't actually look at him. The moment her mom closed the door, she stood from her stop. She reached down and picked up the second apple and tossed it directly at him. She didn't need to look at him to know he caught it.

"Enjoy your breakfast." She said smiling and making her way into the house.

She paused and listened at the door, hearing him bite into the ripe piece of fruit.

Breakfast was a bustle of noise from her grandfather trying to tell his stories and Souta excited over the video games he was going to play. Her mother and father were both quietly sipping on their coffee and stared lovingly at each other. Kagome choked on her breakfast long enough that she pushed her plate away. Couldn't they be all lovey-dovey in their bedroom? Then she hoped not because their room was right next to hers.

She had been traumatized enough already in her life, she didn't need mental pictures to go with it. She groaned as the pictures flew through her mind. Silently, she cried. Her mind was in the gutter. It almost made her laugh. A sudden thought derailed her and caused her to think of her very first time.

She wanted to groan at the memory. She was awkward. It was embarrassing! Limbs flailing, body parts not connecting properly… it was a mess!

He was an excellent partner, and he taught her well. She wasn't willing to bear his child, but she would most certainly have her wicked ways with him.

Their first time was in a tiny village behind the shrine grounds. Kagome was a Shinto priestess. Being Kikyo's reincarnation she was passed down the dead priestess' duties. Miroku, having been a man of the cloth for far longer than her, explained that priestesses blessed the earth with their bodies. Kagome being young and naïve thought no differently. She knew now that even a blessing of words was enough, there was never a need for sex.

Had she not have been mad at Inuyasha, had she not had a tad too much ceremonial sake, had Miroku not looked at dashing as he did, she wouldn't have been taught the ways of the flesh. Her first time was awkward and messy and it hurt. It was actually both their first time. Kagome laughed quietly at the memory.

They had sex three times that night. By the third time, they finally got the hang of it. Sex wasn't a hard skill to learn. She just needed to listen to her body and it told her what to do. Miroku was well versed in the language but lacked the practical skill. Every town the group stopped in, Inuyasha would leave, Shippo would be sound asleep and the remaining two would bless the sacred grounds.

Kagome was scared that she would lose her spiritual powers. Priestesses were supposed to be virgins; at least that's the way she was told. Miroku laughed when she told him her concern. Shinto priestesses were different than those in faraway lands. They were held to a higher standing than most.

Kagome understood later when she went to the library and discovered that while priestesses from other lands worship one single deity, they remained pure so they could communicate to them. Kagome was the opposite. She was the caregiver to the earth. She fed off the earth with her powers and her powers fed the earth. It was the circle of life for her.

Kagome accepted the answer and let the fact she wasn't a virgin and still have her powers not bother her.

It was late one night in the feudal era when Kagome and Miroku were sitting outside alone as usual. Kagome confided to the monk that she could feel her powers more. It wasn't like she was brimming with power. When she first arrived, she couldn't tell she had powers until she was in mortal danger. Now it was like a tiny ember trying to stay alive.

Miroku nodded and thought for a moment. He explained that what she was experiencing was possibly a gift for providing her services. The earth always repaid what it was given. The more she blessed the land, the more she would gain. However the downside was that it couldn't be with just one person.

You could only live off one type of food for so long. Inuyasha might have been able to live off Ramen for the rest of his existence, but she required a variety.

It was hard for Kagome to wrap her head around polygamy. She tried rationalizing to herself that she wasn't getting married to them. It was a case of wham-bam-thank-you-mam and move on. She just couldn't sleep with anyone. Well, she could, she just chose not to. She wasn't the only one that got the boost. The partner she chose to sleep with also gained a gift.

For Miroku, he gained a slight increase in holy powers. Both rationalized that having sex together was good for the group power base. One night, Kagome had felt daring and purchased a copy of the Kama Sutra from her bookstore. She would have checked it out from the library she would have been highly embarrassed if her mom got the late fees for a sex book. Her times back home were erratic and whenever she could.

They experimented for several weeks with the book before Inuyasha finally caught them. Sango had just joined the week previously making their time together unnoticed slightly more difficult. Kagome could tell Miroku was smitten with her. Kagome didn't mind. She wasn't in love with the monk; he was her friend with benefits. So when he asked to stop so he could pursue Sango, she was fine with it. That was also the night Inuyasha caught them. Now that was a fun time.

Kagome shook herself from her musing and stared at her family. They were finished eating breakfast and were slowly getting up out of their seats.

"You ready to go?" Her dad turned to her and asked.

"Yup." Kagome stood and brought her plate over to the sink so her mom could clean up.

Within minutes the pair was heading down the shrine steps with a blue haired demon trailing them. A black cargo van was parked outside the shrine steps. The sliding door was opened and the driver was waiting. Her dad motioned her inside and she scurried to the free seat and slipped on her seatbelt. She was going to ask about the demon, but he was already gone.

She shrugged and watched her father slide the door shut and took his place in the passenger seat. The driver was no more than thirty. His short black hair was tied back in the smallest ponytail. The look made her smile and think back to breakfast.

"Kagome, this is Miroku." Her father introduced the two.

Kagome's entire body felt like it was going to sink to the floor and cry in a puddle of her own making. The man had slight lines around his eyes, a tiny scar above his lip. The hand he held out extended towards her was calloused and scarred. She shook it and smiled brightly. This wasn't her Miroku, her Miroku was centuries dead. But for the moment, it felt good to dream.

"Yeah, my real name is Kaorito. It's spelt with the kanji of (_ka_) meaning, 'smell, perfume' and (_ori_) meaning 'weaving' and the kanji of (_to_) meaning 'to fly.' That's an FYI for when you write our names on our future marriage certificate."

"Isn't that a girl's name?" Kagome asked, completely disregarding the marriage proposal of sorts.

"My parents really wanted a girl. I was teased in high school. So I go by Miroku. Plus it's my code name so it's easier to remember." Miroku laughed off her confused expression. "Your Dad's told us about what we do right?" He saw her nod and continued. "Well some demons don't like having their son, father, friend, whatever killed and they would come after us. If they knew our real names, we wouldn't be able to do our job. We would be too worried about the safety of our loved ones."

Kagome understood. "I get it. So Dad, what's your code name?" Kagome watched as Miroku shifted into gear and pulled out onto the deserted road.

"I don't have anything that fancy. I'm known in this world as 'The Commander'. These people you are about to meet are my team. Hopefully, possibly, your team too." He turned back and faced the road.

The rest of the way was filled by her father asking about school and life. She was careful not to mention anything about her own adventures. She owed her father a slight gift of gratitude for not involving her life directly with demons. The least she could do was make sure the wool was pink and fluffy over his eyes.

They drove out to the middle of nowhere. The field was clear of debris. She got out of the car and looked around. Miroku chose to stay in the car. Apparently he wasn't into nature. Kagome shrugged. The feel of a real forest under her feet took her back. She sighed and smiled. The trek to the field was a good five minute decline to the bottom.

This was really the first time Kagome stepped foot in nature since she came back. She took note of a female and the blue haired demon in the clearing. "We need to get down there. Be careful Kagome, it's a steep hill." He made a reach for her.

Kagome laughed. "I'll race you down there." She took off down the slope. She was in her element and forgot the rush that came with it. She was wearing a pair of casual slip on shoes, but they were no better than her loafers.

"Kagome stop!" Her father cried out. She grabbed a low branch and stopped herself. She turned back and waited for her father.

"Well hurry up slowpoke!" She smiled relishing in the feel.

"I don't want you to hurt yourself. Hold on, I'll be right there." He continued his slow descent.

"I think you're more worried about hurting yourself. I could go blindfolded and still beat you." She giggled as her father turned a slight pink.

"Oh that's it, you're on!" He swiveled his foot and really made his descent.

Kagome giggled and waited a second as her father passed her before taking off. Kagome won because she used the force of the log to push herself up and above the ground gaining her precious seconds. Her father had stopped and jumped off the log and lost all the possible energy.

"I win." She smirked victoriously.

"You cheated!" He stood beside her slightly winded. Kagome's own breathing was normal. She was out of shape but she wasn't that out she couldn't do a two minute sprint. She climbed her shrine stairs on a daily basis. That alone was enough to give her the slight edge.

"You're a sore loser." Kagome laughed.

He laughed and led her to where the other two were positioned. They approached the female first. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail. Kagome wondered how long it would be if it was let down. She debated if it was passed her bum or down to her knees.

"So this is her?" The girl asked her father.

"Yup. You have everything ready?"

"Yes, Sir." She stood at attention like a very loyal and dedicated soldier. Kagome watched her carefully. She walked over to the portable table and lifted up the blue tarp. The blue haired demon snorted from across the clearing causing to Kagome look over and stare at him.

"What's his problem?" Kagome asked her father.

"He's not a morning person." His father lied.

She wasn't going to call him on it. If he didn't want to share, that wasn't her problem.

"Commander, we'll test her now. Let's hope she's got something we can work with." The female folded the tarp and placed it under the table.

"Okay, Kagome, what we're going to do is test to see if you have any sort of spiritual power." He grabbed her arm and gently led her over to the table.

Kagome stared at the variety of weapons. Guns, swords, daggers, and a huge slew of weapons she'd never seen before. Amongst them was a beautiful bow made from demon bone. It was lighter than any other bow she had ever used. The arrows lying next to it were perfect. No visual or structural flaws. This had just become Kagome's dream bow. "I would have killed for something like this." She said quietly under her breath.

She picked up the bow and tested its weight. "I'll use this." She held it up and grinned. She turned to her father who nodded in approval. Kagome turned to the girl, "Is he always this rude?"

"Pardon?" She asked horrified.

"I'm Kagome. Thanks for letting me use your weapon." She transferred the bow to her left hand and held out her right.

"Oh, no problem! My code name is Sango. Nice to meet you." She took the extended hand in her own.

Kagome struggled to keep her voice steady. "How did you get that code name?"

"Have you met Miroku yet?" She watched Kagome nod so she continued, "He gave me code name. Apparently there is a myth out there of two lovers who fought and killed for love or something stupid like that. Miroku thought it would be 'destiny' if we had the same names as the people in the story. He went on about something dealing with fate and destiny." She stopped to laugh. "Of course he stopped when I pointed my gun at his balls and told him I'd shoot them off one at a time if he didn't shut up."

Kagome laughed. She couldn't help it. It was so uncanny that these two had the same personality as her long lost friends. "Is that why he's in the truck?"

"He won't dare come down. He's afraid I'll use him for target practice." She leaned in and whispered.

"Threaten to cut off his fingers one by one. I'm sure that will work just as well." Kagome spoke forgetting where she was for a moment. She lost herself in the moment and forgot they were two different people.

Her father watched on in horror and Sango stood there laughing. "Commander, can we keep her?"

He snorted out a sigh, "Only if she has the power." He started to walk away from the tables and walked thirty or so feet away to align himself with the targets close to the other side of the field. "Now this is easy. I want you to try to hit the target. It has a little demon blood on it, so if you have any spiritual powers, it'll be detected right away."

Kagome nodded and took her stance. The target was only fifty feet out. She could make the shot. She took a deep breath and got ready.

Sango left her table and stood by her commander. She turned her head to address him, never taking her eyes off Kagome. "How old fashioned." She snorted, referring to the bow. "So unlike the technology junkie." She elbowed him playfully in the side.

Kagome shrugged. "It has a rustic feel. What can I say? I have a thing for tradition."

Her father laughed amused by her answer. "Just try to hit the mark the best you can."

"Okay Dad." She slipped the quiver over she shoulders and the familiar weight comforted her. She notched an arrow and took a deep breath. The string pulled back smoothly, without effort. She hoped she wasn't too rusty; after all, it had been a while. She took aim and steadied herself. She was about to shoot but she lowered her weapon.

"What's wrong?" Her father asked taking a step forward.

"I would feel better if he wouldn't stand so close." She frowned and used her bow to point to the demon. He was well enough away that she wouldn't intentionally hit him. She was rusty and had a worst case scenario of her powers backfiring and flooding the field with her power. She hadn't used her power in a very long time, years to be exact.

The demon laughed. It sounded like a cold snarl more than laughter. "Trust me human, if you have any sort of power, I would have known. This is all a waste of our time." Arrogantly he snorted. "Besides I'll move well out of the way long before you can hit me."

Ignoring his bold statement, Kagome turned to her father. "So it's not my fault if I kill him?"

She schooled her expression to be still innocent. She hated arrogance. She hated when Inuyasha used it. She hated it when Naraku used it. She made it her mission to knock them down off their high horses. This demon was no exception.

"It would almost be well worth it if you purified him." Her father and Sango were laughing. "It would put him in his place."

Her conscious was now clear. She readied herself once again. She took aim, her powers tingling inside of her. She locked on the target, arm straight, string pulled tight and let her arrow fly. The tip of the arrow glowed pink, growing in size until it engulfed the entire field. The light was blinding. She had to shield her eyes.

Kagome's eyes looked almost wild. Her chest heaved gasping for air. She smiled and felt amazing.

"Much better." She muttered working tired muscles she didn't realize were stiff. The demon had managed to survive and still stood where she last left him. She giggled as she noticed he didn't naturally smoke. His hair was singed a charcoal black. His fingers were red and burnt from the purifying energy.

"I told you to move." She called out, chastising the demon. The trio still in shock.

Sango and her father were the first to recover. They started to laugh. They were laughing at him. He did look a little extra crispy. Kagome's smile died when she noticed he was well beyond pissed. His eyes were glowing red. The demon energy about him was starting to swirl.

She didn't blink. Instead she readied another arrow. "Calm yourself demon, or I will have no qualm purifying you." Her voice held power and authority. Kikyo would have been impressed with how she held herself.

She pulled back on the string when his growling became louder. She could feel he was losing control. She let the arrow fly. It swirled bright pink at his feet. It was a warning shot. His eyes widened even more. Kagome couldn't tell from that far away if it was fear or if it was rage.

The moment he took his eyes off Kagome and stared at the arrow, Kagome had another arrow poised and pointed at him. She just needed a sign to let it fly. They both knew the next arrow would decide his fate. The demon was fighting his inner beast. He had magnificent control over it. Kagome remembered all the times Inuyasha and even Sesshomaru lost control. He was fighting his with sheer will power.

The harshness around his eyes slowly started to soften. Kagome watched as he got his beast slowly under control. Finding him no longer a threat, she lowered the weapon. She let out a giant sigh and her tightened muscles slowly started to relax again.

Her father was swearing but crossed the distance to the demon. Kagome knew the demon would be fine after seeing a healer and getting some rest.

"How the hell did you do that?" Kagome's head whipped over to look at Sango.

"Do what?" She was genuinely confused.

"Seriously, no one can calm him once he goes into demon mode." Sango was in awe and shock. "It literally takes enchanted sutras and a cave capable of taking his demon power."

"Oh…" The words fell as she watched him talk something over with her father.

"This is awesome!" The high ponytail swirled around her in excitement. "This means I won't be the only girl anymore."

The two males made their way back to them. "Let me see your wounds." Kagome demanded, leaving no room for debate. The demon held up his hands, Kagome cringed and turned and ran.

The demon laughed at her as she ran back towards the van. Kagome wasn't running away because she was scared, she was running because she noticed a large lavender plant growing where she had raced her father. She grabbed a large stem and snapped it in half, making sure the oil didn't drain out from the opened end.

She raced back to the table and grabbed a small knife off the table and made her way back to the demon. He looked disappointed. Kagome had to laugh. She made him hold his hands up, burn sides up. Quickly she cut open the stem lengthwise and poured on the milky oil on his burns.

"Lavender is not only a very effective antiseptic, but is also a painkiller; it helps to reduce the pain of the burn and promotes rapid healing." She explained to the group. "It will reduce eventual scaring. I know you can heal fast, but you almost got your ass purified, so you'll take longer to heal."

"Where did you learn this?" Her father asked marveled at what his daughter knew.

"Kaede taught me long time ago." She smiled sadly.

"I would like to meet her."

Kagome shook her head. "She's been long dead." There was a deep sadness in her voice that everyone stopped talking and let Kagome continue to heal her latest victim.

"Since you know what you're doing, I'll leave you to take him back to the van. Sango and I will pack up." Her father issued the order. Kagome gave a single nod. She turned to the demon and started their walk back to the transport.

"I don't need your help filth," He snarled. He ripped his arm from Kagome's protective grasp.

"I'm just making sure you don't fall and hurt yourself." Kagome was slightly mothering him. She didn't care; it felt good.

"Demons do not fall."

Kagome hid her darkened eyes and smile as she tripped him and sent him flying forward using his burnt hands to break his fall. "Demons don't fall, huh?" She tried not to laugh, but failed miserably.

"You tripped me!" He growled and held his hands to his chest.

"I did no such thing!" Trying to defend her position she looked over towards her father who was now glaring at her.

The demon tripped and fell and screamed. She gave her father 'the look' and he shook his head as if telling her, 'I know but try your best.'

After the third time the demon twisted and fell, Kagome latched on to him and dragged him up the mountain leaving his poor hands to heal. After he was resting in the van, Kagome made another trip down and got some more lavender. This already felt like a long day.

She helped heal his hands once more before he faced the other direction and remained silent. Miroku was asleep, snoring, behind the wheel.

The silence was broken once her father and Sango reached the top with some of the weapons in tow. They piled up the boxes and went to go for another run.

"Oh by the way Kagome," Her father called out as he descended the cliff, "Welcome to the team."


End file.
